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I'm watching Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, and it feels eerily similar to Dune:

  • The Deikuns are the Atreides, led by Zeon Zum Deikun whose death is the spark that begins the entire series just like Duke Leto Atreides
  • The Zabi are the Harkonnen, led by an overweight patriarch Degwin Sodo Zabi just like Baron Vladimir Harkonnen
  • Casval Rem Deikun is Paul Atreides, who adopts a new name Muad'Dib in order to lead his resistance against the Harkonnen
  • Ramba Ral is Duncan Idaho, someone loyal to the Atreides family after being forced to work for the Harkonnens (in this case it would be in reverse order)
  • I have yet to discern whether Artesia Som Deikun is like Alia Atreides

I'm only 10 episodes into Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin and I've never seen the original Mobile Suit Gundam, so spoiler tags appreciated! I don't know if most of The Origin is completely new material based off the manga, or some of these parallels existed in the original Mobile Suit Gundam.

NobleUplift
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While it's not impossible (Dune was published in 1965, and Mobile Suit: Gundam was first released in 1979), it really doesn't fit.

MSG(and all the surrounding storylines) is centered around basic human ambition. The Zabis, for instance, range from the naive Garma Zabi, to the ruthless and even sadistic Gihren Zabi. All of this stems from Degwin Zabi, and the mysterious death of Zeon Zum Daikun (which MSG: Origin doesn't resolve).

A better correlation here is actual human history.

  • Zeon is more like Vladimir Lenin. He wants to foment a rebellion, but mysteriously dies early into those efforts
  • Degwin Zabi doesn't have any real correlation (Degwin laments many of the atrocities his family commits), but he seems to look the other way when things are done that benefit him. That later exacts a toll on humanity because it empowers his son...

  • Gihren Zabi is Adolf Hitler. Degwin even makes that comparison himself in MSG

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlJ5j-hSUmQ

    Gihren would later prove the point when he

    murders Degwin while he is trying to negotiate an end to the war with the Federation

  • Casval is no better than any of them. He's out for revenge against the Zabi family for what he perceives to be their murder of his father, Zeon. He's shown to be almost as ruthless a Gihren, murdering people who stand in his way by manipulating them.

Machavity
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  • Degwin Zabi does show mercy to his opponents and treats them honorably when they treat him honorably in Origin, so he's a stark contrast from Vladimir Harkonnen. My comparisons were fun but you're right that it isn't a perfect match. Thanks for the answer! – NobleUplift Oct 22 '19 at 17:15